243: Chapter 243 White Wings vs. Wolf Demon

Lin Fan withdrew his fist and stood beside the fallen figure of the Iron-Bristled Wild Boar.

The golden light on his knuckles slowly receded, like a water surface smoothed over during an ebb tide, layer by layer, revealing the normal skin tone of his knuckles beneath.

His breathing was heavier than before, as if the exertion of that punch was greater than it appeared, but he did not stoop.

The Gray-Backed Wolf Demon struggled free from the shattered door frame, glanced at the Iron-Bristled Wild Boar lying on the ground, and a flash of horror crossed his eyes: "How is this possible!"

The Black Panther Demon stood on the roof, pressing against the scorch mark on his shoulder, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Fan and the Iron-Bristled Wild Boar.

"Brat, you have truly angered me!"

The Gray-Backed Wolf Demon's Demon Power exploded, and a grayish-white light surged around his body.

He stepped forward, intending to press toward Lin Fan, his claws already raised, as if prepared to return that punch with interest. But just as he took a step, a figure landed silently behind him, a claw pressing onto his shoulder. The force was not great, but it precisely suppressed his center of gravity as he prepared to lunge forward.

The Gray-Backed Wolf Demon's body froze. He turned his head and cast his gaze upon that figure: "My Lord! This person..."

General Qiu Ya stood behind him, his gaze falling upon Lin Fan.

He watched for a moment without making a move, then simply withdrew his gaze, as if he had already seen everything he needed to see.

"The matter is settled, don't waste time here."

"Let's go."

The Gray-Backed Wolf Demon paused, glanced at the Iron-Bristled Wild Boar on the ground, then looked at Lin Fan. The muscles in his jaw tightened, as if he were swallowing back the Qi he hadn't had the chance to release, before turning to follow General Qiu Ya.

The Black Panther Demon dropped down from the roof and followed their pace as well.

The three figures moved along the main street toward the city gate, passed through the gate opening, and vanished into the night.

"These abominable Yao Race."

Lin Fan did not pursue. He stood in place, confirming that the three figures had indeed vanished at the end of his vision. After waiting for a moment longer, he finally unclenched his fist, and the golden light completely receded.

"Teacher, are you alright?"

Lin Fan helped Teacher Zhou Yan up, and Teacher Zhou Yan let out a long breath and shook his head.

"Fortunately, you arrived in time. It has stabilized; there is nothing major."

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan did not let go. His gaze shifted from the wound on his shoulder to his arm, then he produced a roll of clean cloth from his waist, cut off a section, and lowered his head to wrap it around his shoulder. His movements were not fast, but every step was executed steadily, without unnecessary pauses.

Teacher Zhou Yan did not speak, nor did he move; he simply sat there watching Lin Fan wrap the cloth, as if confirming that he had grown up.

A moment later, he said softly: "When did you learn this?"

Lin Fan did not look up. He pressed his fingers against the edge of the cloth to tighten it, releasing only after confirming it wouldn't slip: "You taught me."

Teacher Zhou Yan did not respond.

Lin Fan stood up again and walked toward Zhao Qinghe and Li Chongshan.

Zhao Qinghe leaned against the wall, using his broken blade to support himself on the ground. The wound on his shoulder was still oozing blood, and his complexion was not good, but he had not fallen.

Li Chongshan lay prone on the ground beneath the city gate, his breath weak, unable to recover.

Lin Fan crouched down, and the golden light on his palm lit up again, but it was much softer than before, like a layer of warm light with its brightness turned down, gently covering the wound on Li Chongshan's chest.

It slowly advanced from the surface of the skin to the inner layers, knitting the torn blood vessels and fascia back together.

A moment later, Li Chongshan's eyelids twitched slightly, and consciousness surfaced from the blur.

Lin Fan withdrew his hand and turned to check on Zhao Qinghe. He did not rush to stand up, as if confirming that everyone's injuries had stabilized, before slowly rising and casting his gaze back toward the city gate.

...

Under the moonlight, three figures hurried along the mountain road, having already left Pingchuan City by over ten miles.

The Gray-Backed Wolf Demon walked behind and to the side of General Qiu Ya, finally unable to help but speak, his voice filled with irrepressible urgency.

"My Lord, why not finish off that brat? Given the situation just now, there must be a secret on that brat."

General Qiu Ya did not answer immediately, his pace not slowing.

After walking a few steps, he finally spoke, "That brat gives me a very dangerous feeling, and his Qi is not right. As for the specific situation, I cannot say."

General Qiu Ya stopped in his tracks mid-sentence.

He stood in place, turned his head, and looked toward the low slope behind them covered by the night.

"Hiding your head and showing your tail!"

"Get out here!"

A dark Demon Power condensed at General Qiu Ya's fingertips and shot out from his claw tips.

The Demon Power pierced through the night and accurately struck the crown of a crooked tree behind them.

"Boom~"

The branches and leaves were blown apart. A black figure quickly retreated from the treetop and landed on a branch further away, feathers gleaming with a moist luster under the moonlight.

"Caw caw caw~"

Bai Chi landed on the treetop, Demon Power surging throughout its body, then manifested its Yao form, transforming into a half-human, half-Yao appearance.

General Qiu Ya's gaze fell upon Bai Chi and did not move away.

"Who are you, and why are you following us?"

General Qiu Ya's voice was not loud, but his tone carried a note of scrutiny.

Bai Chi crouched on the horizontal branch, neither retreating nor answering.

It maintained its half-human, half-Yao form, its grayish-white feathers gleaming with a moist, cold light under the moonlight, like a layer of flattened frost.

The Wolf Demon stood behind General Qiu Ya, sweeping his gaze over Bai Chi. After sensing the aura on it, his mouth twitched, carrying an undisguised layer of disdain.

"My Lord, let me go tear it to shreds!"

When he said this, his claws were already raised, as if he had been waiting for those words to land.

General Qiu Ya gave a slight nod.

Upon receiving tacit approval, the Wolf Demon grinned, his figure already bursting forward. All four claws pushed off the ground, vaulting up along the low slope on the side of the mountain path. His speed was as fast as an arrow leaving the string, skimming rapidly between mountain rocks and vegetation. Grayish-white Demon Power surged around his body, wrapping up gravel and broken branches from the ground, leaving a fleeting trail in the night.

"Awooo!"

The Wolf Demon roared, his figure having already completed its charge in mid-air. Grayish-white Demon Power condensed at his claw tips into two crescent-shaped light blades, crossing left and right, like a pair of fangs closing in.

He swooped down, the claw blades crossing as they slashed simultaneously toward Bai Chi's neck and abdomen.

"Bone-Crushing Claws!"

"Swish~"

The two light blades sliced through the air, emitting a sharp piercing sound, with the grayish-white Demon Power drawing two slender trails in the night.

Bai Chi did not take the blow head-on. With a flap of its wings, its figure swept back several feet from the horizontal branch, landing on another thicker tree trunk. The claw blades grazed past the feathers on its chest, leaving two cuts deep enough to see the wood grain on the trunk, the wooden splinters at the break still trembling slightly.

The Wolf Demon landed on the horizontal branch that it had snapped, did not pause, turned, and pushed off the tree trunk with its left claw, using the recoil to continue pressing forward, closing the distance once again.